Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a writ petition filed by the former chief of Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board Waseem Rizvi seeking removal of 26 verses from Quran alleging it of promoting terror.
The bench headed by Justice RF Nariman called the petition frivolous and imposed a cost of Rs 50,000. Rizwi has to deposit that amount to the legal aid services authorities.
“Are you pressing the petition? Are you seriously pressing the petition?” asked Justice Nariman.
Senior advocate R K Raizada, representing Rizvi submitted that he was cobfining the prayer to the regulation of Madarsa education.
“My submission is that these preachings advocate violence against non-believers. Children are kept at captivity at madrasas at a tender age. Students are not to be indoctrinated. These preachings cannot be in the marketplace of ideas. I have written to the Central Government for action, but nothing has happened. Central Govt and Madrasa Boards may be called upon to ensure what steps are taken to avoid literal teaching of verses advocating violence,” submitted advocate Raizada.
He further explained his point on how these verses were used to instill the sparks of Islamic terrorism in children held in captivity in Madrasas.
“On account of the versus of Holy Quran, (more particularly described in the Writ Petition), the religion of Islam is drifting away from its basic tenets with a fast pace and nowadays is identified with violent behaviour, militancy, fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism,” said the plea.
The 26 verses of Quran includes
Verse 9 Surah 5; Verse 9 Surah 28; Verse 4 Surah 101; Verse 9 Surah 123; Verse 4 Surah 56; Verse 9 Surah 23; Verse 9 Surah 37; Verse 5 Surah 57; Verse 33 Surah 61; Verse 21 Surah 98; Verse 32 Surah 22; Verse 48 Surah 20; Verse 8 Surah 69; Verse 66 Surah 9; Verse 41 Surah 27; Verse 41 Surah 28;Verse 9 Surah 111; Verse 9 Surah 58; Verse 8 Surah 65; Verse 5 Surah 51; Verse 9 Surah 29; Verse 5 Surah 14; Verse 4 Surah 89; Verse 9 Surah 14; Verse 4 Surah 89; Verse 9 Surah 14; Verse 3 Surah 151; Verse 2 Surah 191
The petitioner stated that Islam is based on the concepts of equity, equality, forgiveness and tolerance is drifting away from its basic tenets of equity, equality, tolerance and forgiveness. However, these 26 verses drift away the religion from its basic tenets with a fast pace.
The plea further stated that after the demise of Prophet Muhammad, there was dispute regarding the genuineness of some of the heavenly messages of God-the Almighty revealed to to Prophet Muhammad and that the Caliphs made a mistake in compiling the Holy Quran.
He alleged, “There are many Muslim madrasas all over the world where young children are taught Islam and Holy Quran is explained to the Islamic students who are working for terrorist activities, in the Quranicsurahs as detailed in the preceding paragraphs. It is like poison in the raw minds of young children in the name of the message of Allah, which leads him to a radical mindset and from his early age when they become young, they hate people of other religions because of their mindset, and many youths get involved with terrorist organizations in some way under this mentality, the wrong messages of Allah Has been filled in the name of Islam.”
He went on to submit, “As per the provisions of Article 25 and 26 of Constitution of India, the freedom of conscious and religion as per clause 1 is subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion. Further, any religious custom/ belief hasto be in accordance or within the balance of Constitution of India and as the law is already settled.”
